[Motorsports One]

Here's the lineup for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400. Rain has canceled Coors Light Pole Qualifying and the field was set by the provisions of the rule book.

Lineup for Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola - Motorsports One

[Bob Tanner]

So, they let the #'s 87, 66, 64 and 37 start the race, even though they'll have their own little contest as to who will develop "handling problems" first, and they sent Regan Smith (Avg 24th place finish in nine races with zero DNF's) and Max Papis (Avg 30th place finish in seven races with zero DNF's) home?

Great rule NA__AR. Really great rule.

[Motorsports One]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

So, they let the #'s 87, 66, 64 and 37 start the race, even though they'll have their own little contest as to who will develop "handling problems" first, and they sent Regan Smith and Papis home?

You got it. However, Furniture Row Racing made a deal with Gunselman Motorsports again this week, #64 is withdrawn, #78 takes the last starting spot and #13 is the only DNQ.

Maybe Mike Wallace will take the sponsor he had to Tommy Baldwin's Toyota (or another Toyota) and run the full race, you never know.

[Robertdjr]

They cancelled qualifying for this?

[bob101]

There are other events at the race track besides a cup race. If you don't get it in you can't just keep pushing it back forever.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by bob101

There are other events at the race track besides a cup race. If you don't get it in you can't just keep pushing it back forever.

How about tomorrow morning at 0930?

Yes, I know. The drivers have personal appearances, "meet&greets," and hangovers to quell. I, personally, think that qualifying takes priority over all of these and their close cousins. But, that's just me and I'm more about the competition than I am about the sponsors (which is why I and others like me will never set at the head of the NA__AR table).

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by Motorsports One

You got it. However, Furniture Row Racing made a deal with Gunselman Motorsports again this week, #64 is withdrawn, #78 takes the last starting spot and #13 is the only DNQ.

Maybe Mike Wallace will take the sponsor he had to Tommy Baldwin's Toyota (or another Toyota) and run the full race, you never know.

Personally I dislike the rule allowing a team to "buy" a starting spot.

If NA__AR makes a rule then live with it. If it's a good enough rule to actually have on the books then it's good enough to be enforced with no mysterious loop holes. All rules enforced in this manner do is open the door for suspicions of corruption, favouritism and manipulation.

Sure. I think Smith will be eons more competitive than Gunselman. But, a game without rules is just a mob.

[bob101]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

How about tomorrow morning at 0930?

Yes, I know. The drivers have personal appearances, "meet&greets," and hangovers to quell. I, personally, think that qualifying takes priority over all of these and their close cousins. But, that's just me and I'm more about the competition than I am about the sponsors (which is why I and others like me will never set at the head of the NA__AR table).

Qualifying at Daytona takes 3+ hours and there's the sports car race or whatever it is during the day.

It's not about sponsors...but a logisitcs issue of having the track ready for each race, workers ready etc...

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by bob101

Qualifying at Daytona takes 3+ hours and there's the sports car race or whatever it is during the day.

It's not about sponsors...but a logistics issue of having the track ready for each race, workers ready etc...

I wasn't aware of the sports car race. My first inclination would be to start qualifying at dawn.

But rationality trumps emotion. Realistically, as NA__AR treats qualifying now, it's just not that simple and the logistics would be a bear. Plus isn't it true that many of the big name drivers are committed to appearances, mostly sponsor related, during the morning and early afternoon race day.

That said, I still believe, to the bottom of my cynical little heart, that NA__AR would be well served to have a contingency plan in place if the original qualifying time is marred by weather or other problems. As it seems to me, they give it a "either/or" chance. I believe (too lazy to research it) that in the past 3-4 years rain has screwed up around 8%-10% of the Cup qualifying dates each year. IF that figure is close to correct, NA__AR might be well served to come up with an alternative qualifying plan other than the bogus Owner Points thing.

The attention they pay to it now could leave one to believe that qualifying just isn't all that important.